Vampire writer stakes out Eric Cantor’s seat

He’s a college professor with seven children who’s been working on a vampire novel. And suddenly he’s given Democrats hope — faint hope — of taking the seat that once belonged to Eric Cantor.

Jack Trammell thought he would be challenging the House majority leader in November’s general election for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. But after Cantor’s upset loss in the GOP primary on Tuesday night, Trammell will instead face fellow political novice Dave Brat, who also happens to teach at Randolph-Macon College.

Text Size

-

+

reset

Cantor loss blindsides reporters, pundits

Dave Brat v. Jack Trammell: Professors' campus reacts

Trammell, an assistant professor of sociology, has more than 20 books to his credit, including a romance novel and more academic works. One student who spoke with him Wednesday morning said Trammell was excited about the twist in the race, and that he is on friendly terms with Brat.

Little is known about Trammell’s specific policy views or his campaign operation. A spokeswoman for the Federal Election Commission said the agency had received no records from his campaign, meaning that he has either raised or spent less than $5,000 or that his paperwork is still in the mail.

Robert Dempsey, executive director of the Virginia Democratic Party, said Trammell has not yet raised any money and is still putting his campaign staff together. Dempsey also admitted he knew little about the candidate.

“He’s been a candidate only for a couple of days,” Dempsey said. “We aren’t quite there yet. We have yet to have a substantive talk. But I know Jack has been making calls to leaders in the area.”

So far Trammell has said little publicly beyond a Tuesday night statement issued after Cantor’s loss.

“I am running because I believe Virginians are hungry for a radical change from the dysfunctional and reckless politics being practiced by those in Congress — and the results of tonight’s primary election are the proof,” he said in the statement.

“In the coming months, I look forward to a spirited campaign where we can talk about the issues that matter to our community, and how we can get Congress refocused on the priorities that truly matter to us.”

Trammell, 50, also serves as director of disability services at Randolph-Macon, a small liberal arts school near Richmond. He won the Democratic nomination over a conference call last weekend after no other Democrats were willing to take on Cantor, the presumed GOP nominee.

He lives on a small farm in Mineral, Virginia, with his wife and children, according to his campaign website, which is limited to one page. Trammell worked on Bill Clinton’s campaign in Kentucky and for Michael Dukakis’ unsuccessful 1988 White House bid.

According to a biography on Amazon.com, he was born in Berea, Kentucky, and “is descended from generations of Appalachian farmers who migrated from Normandy through England and Virginia.” He has degrees from Grove City College and Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Ph.D.

He has written a range of books, including “Sarah’s Last Secret,” a novel about a complicated marriage, and a murder mystery titled “Gray.” He also has a vampire novel in the works, according to online biographies, and has written many poems and short stories as well.

His more academic works include “The Richmond Slave Trade: The Economic Backbone of the Old Dominion” and “Conversations in History: Historical Events & the People Who Starred in Them.” He also has served as a regular contributor to The Washington Times, writing a military history column.

“He’s very driven,” said Derek Dittmar, a legally blind rising junior who Trammell advises at Randolph-Macon. “He constantly surprises me. At first I thought he was just the disabilities director, then I learned he was interested in music, then I found out he’s an avid lover of ‘Star Trek,’ then I found out he was a writer, and now he’s running for Congress.”

Dittmar met with Trammell on Wednesday morning and the pair discussed the sudden change in the race. Trammell was both excited and exhausted, the student said.

“He’s not celebratory that Cantor lost,” Dittmar said. “But he’s happy for Dr. Brat because they have respectful, friendly relationship.”

Democrats have been gleeful over Cantor’s loss to Brat, a conservative grass-roots challenger, and there have been some suggestions of a potential opening for a more moderate candidate to win in the general election.

But this is a district that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won with 57 percent of the vote in 2012. And although the race is now getting tons of attention, national Democrats are still reluctant to put resources behind a first-time candidate.

“House Majority PAC will be watching the VA-07 race shape up,” said Ali Lapp, executive director for the Democratic super PAC focused on House races. “Brat’s positions on the issues are clearly out of the mainstream of even Republican-leaning VA-07. We’ll watch it closely and determine whether or not it’s a good investment of resources.”